What began as a chance opportunity at just 14-years-old, working in the kitchen of a rafting company, quietly set Anna Levesque on a path that would shape the rest of her life.
She didn’t grow up surrounded by rivers or in a family that embraced risk. In fact, she describes her upbringing as “pretty risk-adverse,” with parents who were hesitant about her early interest in kayaking. Choosing paddling over a conventional career path only deepened their concerns as she entered adulthood.
Yet, a defining moment came during her final year of university while studying abroad in Chile. A local raft guide took her out on the water – an experience that changed everything.
“It was mind-blowing for me,” she recalls. “There were actually people from all over the world that do this.”
From that moment, she committed fully to the sport. What followed was a remarkable career: A World Freestyle Championship medal, five selections to the Canadian Freestyle Team, and named one of the most inspirational paddlers alive by Canoe and Kayak magazine.
But for Levesque, success was never just about accolades. Her deeper mission was, and still is, about empowering women, both on and off the water.
“In the 1990s, there were not many women running hard rivers,” she said.
Often navigating male-dominated spaces, she encountered a culture that demanded stoicism and toughness. That environment brought its own challenges.
“It was a mindset struggle for me. I experienced a lot of self-doubt.”
Still, she persisted – not just for herself, but to change the culture around her.
That shift began with her first educational video, The Female Perspective. This project challenged the norms of freestyle kayaking and opened up space for new conversations.
“I struggled with self-doubt, but not all women did,” she said. “What was common though, was that even confident women had to overcome all the unsolicited advice from men.”
Her approach was unconventional at the time. Instead of suppressing fear and emotion, she encouraged paddlers to acknowledge and work through them.
“To me, expressing emotion – there’s nothing wrong with it. It’s a release, you don’t need to push it down or be ashamed of it.”
She emphasised that fear is not something to eliminate, but something to navigate.
“The fear isn’t going to go away. If we want to be successful, we have to develop strategies – breath work, routines, supportive peers,” she said.
This philosophy became the foundation of MindBodyPaddle, her coaching and education programme that blends kayaking with mindfulness, yoga, and personal development. The goal is not just performance, but longevity, strength, and resilience.
Education has remained central to her work. From early DVDs to modern social platforms, she has consistently shared tools to help paddlers build confidence and mental strength. Through ‘The Discomfort Zone Podcast,’ she continues exploring the connection between mindset, growth, and life beyond the river.
“Come as you are. It’s mindset work, self-awareness work, personal growth work – all with kayaking as the vehicle,” said Levesque.
Her influence reaches far beyond individual athletes. She advocates for greater diversity in leadership, pushing forward the conversation for more women in coaching, media, and decision-making roles within the sport.
“Nothing ever forms naturally; you have to put effort and thought in,” she said.
By intentionally creating inclusive and supportive spaces, she has helped reshape the culture of whitewater kayaking.
Looking back on more than three decades in the sport, Levesque reflects with both pride and purpose. By creating spaces where women feel supported to lead and innovate, she has shaped a legacy that resonates far beyond the riverbank.
“I’m very passionate and proud of the legacy I’ve left in empowering women in whitewater. I do think it’s made a difference,” she says.
“I hope I’ve created and continue to create spaces where people can show up as they are, feel supported, and do something that makes their lives better – whether it’s confidence, joy, or agency.”
For Anna Levesque, kayaking is more than a sport. It is a reflection of life itself – a space where fear, flow, and growth intersect.
“I’m so passionate about kayaking, but I’m even more passionate about how kayaking mirrors life.
Through education, exposure, and the discomfort zone, she has shown a generation of paddlers, particularly women, that courage, fear, and grit can co-exist.
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